Support relatives call as patients are sent home

FAMILIES have been urged to rally round relatives sent home from hospital as patients continue to swamp acute sites.

The move comes after University Hospitals Leicester declared a ‘system critical incident’ - as more patients attended A&E than staff could cope with.

Only those with severe injuries or illnesses should attend causality departments with less serious conditions being treated at non-emergency sites.

As A&E departments across the county were swamped waiting times ran at more than four hours and ambulance crews were experiencing major delays in handing over patients because of a lack of beds.

Bosses at West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the body which plans and pays for the healthcare of Hinckley and Bosworth residents, backed Leicester Royal Infirmary by trying to get people out of hospital if they no longer needed clinical care.

Local doctors said patients recover faster in their own home but may need help from relatives.

Dr Nick Willmott, from the CCG and local Hinckley GP, said: “We know people recover better in their own homes so we always want to make sure that we can support them to recover at home wherever possible.

“When a patient is ready to be discharged their needs will be assessed and a care plan will be drawn up, detailing the health and social care support which they need to recover, as well as any equipment they need.

“We’re asking people to be prepared to support their loved ones to recover at home wherever possible.”

He said professionals were on hand to make sure relatives felt confi- dent in any techniques of support which might be required.

“The idea of supporting recovery may seem daunting at first but learning these basic techniques, such as administering injections or supporting someone to move from their chair to their bed in the correct way means that your loved one can be discharged earlier, and ultimately recover more quickly at home.”

For those who may need more intensive support, carers from the Intensive Community Support Service (ICSS), are being drafted in to provide nurs- ing, physiotherapy and some social care in the patient’s home.

Up to 256 people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland can be catered for and surveys have found the scheme popular with patients.

Patients who still need a medical setting but not acute care, may be moved to a community hospital, such as Hinckley and Bosworth Community Hospital on Ashby Road.

Other patients who can’t be cared for at home but don’t need high level clinical intervention may be discharged to a care home on a temporary basis.